◇ BTS holds free concert in Busan to promote 2030 World Expo bid

Around 52,000 fans from around the world attended the concert titled "Yet To Come in Busan" at the Busan Asiad Main Stadium. Another 12,000 fans who failed to obtain tickets enjoyed the show live on large screens set up at Busan Port and Haeundae Beach. For international fans, the concert was also livestreamed on various online platforms.

The septet, which wrapped up the first chapter of its nine-year career with the anthology album "Proof" in June, shared traces of its journey with its fans during the 90-minute concert.

BTS opened the show with "MIC Drop," followed by "Run BTS" and "Run" without a pause.

After "Dynamite," colorful fireworks lighted up the sky of Busan, like the lyrics of the song, "So watch me bring the fire and set the night alight."

BTS later calmed down the excited fans, singing autobiographical songs depicting its pressure and burden as a global star, like "Young Forever" and "For Youth." The concert wrapped up with encores of "Spring Day," which has an impressive refrain that goes "I miss you," and "Yet to Come," the main track off the band's anthology album "Proof."

"It is time that faith is needed," J-Hope said in his closing comment for the performance. "It is time for both BTS and ARMY to draw their future together with faith," he said, referring to the name of the band's global fandom.

Jin made a surprise announcement that he will become the second BTS member to make a debut as a solo artist following J-Hope. 

◇ BLACKPINK starts off world tour on Sat. in Seoul

 

▲ This photo captured from the 2022 MTV Video Music Awards' Twitter page shows South Korean girl group BLACKPINK posing for the camera at the awards ceremony at the Prudential Center in Newark

BLACKPINK has kicked off its 'BLACKPINK WORLD TOUR [BORN PINK] SEOUL' on Saturday at KSPO DOME in Seoul and will continue on throughout Northern America, Europe, Asia and Oceania.

The group will hold its second Seoul concert on Sunday at the same place, KSPO DOME.

Right after BLACKPINK members successfully finish their concerts in Seoul, they will fly over to United States and perform in Dallas, Huston, Atlanta, Hamilton, Chicago, Newark, and Los Angeles.

Moreover, BLACKPINK will continue on with their concerts in London, UK, Barcelona in Spain, Cologne, Paris in France, Copenhagen, Berlin, Amsterdam in Netherlands and more throughout Europe and meet their fans.

Starting in January to June of 2023, BLACKPINK will be performing in Thailand, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan, Philippine Australia, New Zealand and more.

 

 

◇ Returning with all members, Mamamoo seeks to create sensation on charts

 

▲ K-pop girl group Mamamoo poses for the camera during a media showcase for its 12th EP, "Mic On," on Oct. 11, 2022. This photo was provided by the band's agency RBW. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

 

K-pop girl group Mamamoo returned to the music scene on Tuesday with 12th EP "Mic On."

 

Mamamoo expressed hope Tuesday it would make a sensation on music charts, returning as a whole group after one year with an ambitious title song "Illella."

The EP's title "Mic On" means Mamamoo has turned on its mic and is ready to make splashes. In addition, the name of its lead track is "Illella," which sounds like a foreign word but is actually a Korean word meaning "You might make it big."

"As indicated by the title, Mamamoo is back to create a sensation, so please look forward to our return," member Solar said during a media showcase for "Mic On," released at 6 p.m. "Many songs are firmly retaining their posts on charts these days, but we want to become a chart sensation." 

 

In addition to "Illella," the EP has two more songs, titled "1,2,3 Eoi!" and "L.I.E.C."

"Mic On" marks the band's first release involving all four members since the act's compilation album "I Say Mamamoo: The Best" was put out last September to mark the seventh anniversary of its debut.

After the long-awaited comeback, the band said it will hold concerts at home and abroad until early next year.

 

▲ K-pop girl group Mamamoo poses for the camera during a media showcase for its 12th EP, "Mic On," on Oct. 11, 2022. This photo was provided by the band's agency RBW. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

 

▲This photo, provided by Woolim Ent., shows Kwon Eun-bi. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

◇ Kwon Eun-bi and Lee Chaeyeon from IZONE make comeback on same day

 

Kwon Eun-bi and Lee Chaeyeon from girl group IZONE have returned to the music scene with their own new albums on the same day, Wednesday.
 

They said, "It is nervous to make the stage by myself," adding, "We became a good synergy to each other."

Kwon Eun-bi, the first member of IZONE to begin solo activities, has been working restlessly over the past year and is already releasing her third mini album.

Like the title of the album "Lethality," the album is composed of six songs which maximize her fascinating charm.e a good synergy to each other."

Title song "Underwater" compared the desire to forever be with the lover to the deep sea.

 

▲This photo, provided by WM Ent., shows Lee Chae-yeon. (PHOTO NOT FOR SALE) (Yonhap)

Lee Chaeyeon also returned to the music scene on the same day as a solo artist with her first mini album "HUSH RUSH."

Lee said, "It is my first time to fill 3-min MV by myself and to sing all the songs in the album with my voice," adding, "It really was a time I could focus more on myself."

For her debut album Hush Rush, the singer expressed the thrill vampire who was trapped in an old castle feels when waking up from sleep with her imagination.

Title song "Hush Rush" is a pop genre song with catchy base and depicts love story of vampire who fall in love with her who dances under the moonlight.

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